


Larsa and Gabranth Go to a Burger Joint

by neosaiyanangel



Series: Oaths and Loyalties [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XII
Genre: Date at a hamburger restaurant, Dissecting a Meal, Fluff and Humor, Food, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:42:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23883214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neosaiyanangel/pseuds/neosaiyanangel
Summary: Exactly what it says on the tin.
Relationships: Gabranth | Noah fon Ronsenburg/Larsa Ferrinas Solidor
Series: Oaths and Loyalties [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1673668
Comments: 5
Kudos: 3
Collections: Id Pro Quo 2020





	Larsa and Gabranth Go to a Burger Joint

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Welsper](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welsper/gifts).



"This is very interesting! Very interesting indeed." Larsa was marveling at the various places around himself and Gabranth. He'd never been to Old Archades before! It was all very run-down and poor. It was mostly as expected.

But the people! The people were far more lively and colorful than in the capitol. They were _also_ less elitist and snobby. It was a breath of fresh air!

It had been a brilliant idea of his to come and explore for the benefits of the people. Larsa had already identified several key structures that needed repairs. There was also a small bridge that connected two areas of Old Archades that looked like it was ready to collapse. Perhaps an emergency measure would be necessary to fix it?

"Yes, I suppose this is all rather new to you," Gabranth allowed distractedly. He was looking around intently for something or another.

Larsa frowned. There was something _wrong_ with Gabranth. He'd gleaned a few clues as to what it was. Nothing that he could solidly point to as the cause. Larsa was familiar enough with Gabranth, though, to see the various signs. It just needed a few more bits and pieces. Then he would be certain and could act.

Until then? He would simply be forced to enjoy Gabranth's company as he pieced the puzzle together.

"Ah…" Gabranth seemed to find what he was looking for as he walked down to the opening of an alleyway. A woman in a brilliant blue knee-length dress was standing there, attempting to garner attention. Larsa tagged behind, curious as to what Gabranth had found.

"How about you?" she asked as the two of them walked up to her. "Willing to try some new and unique cuisine?"

"Yes, actually, I would," Gabranth said far too quickly. Even stranger, he didn't defer to Larsa.

"And how about you, kind sir?" Her gaze settled on Larsa. "Will you take this fine gentleman on a nice little date?"

Larsa gave her a cheeky grin as Gabranth was taken aback. "Why, yes! I think I will!"

"Excellent!" She beamed as she walked ahead of them. "Follow me!"

Gabranth gave Larsa a quelling glance to which Larsa responded with a cheery smile. It wasn't Larsa's fault that she could sense the chemistry between the two of them!

It wasn't long before they came to the middle point of the alley. There, a small open-air bar seemed to have been carved into the building. There were several open seats, one of which Larsa hopped onto. He waved for Gabranth to sit down to his right. Gabranth sighed as he complied.

"Frederick!" the woman barked suddenly, making Larsa jump. Gabranth, to Larsa's annoyance, didn't react. In a gruff voice very unlike the one she used with them, she shouted, "We got customers! Hurry up and get out here!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm comin'," a voice filtered out from the back.

"Faster!"

"Get off my case!" A balding wiry man with a greasy moustache walked into the bar area, prompting the woman to leave back down the alleyway. His pants were falling down and his shirt was riding up, exposing more skin than Larsa was comfortable seeing. For a man waiting for a customer, he wasn't very welcoming as he growled, "What do ya two want?"

"What do you have?" Larsa was trying very hard to not stare at the man and his unfortunate clothing fittings.

"We got these things I like to call 'hamburgers'," the man replied, clearly pleased with himself. "Ya got your choice of toppin's. If ya want all the trimmin's, it'll be an extra five gil."

"What's in these 'hamburgers'? They are…'burgers' full of 'ham'?" Gabranth pressed.

"Ya could say that. Not that I'm gonna tell yas what either o' them are!" the man laughed. "Ya'll find out if ya order it."

Larsa shared a look with Gabranth. Gabranth looked nonplussed, prompting Larsa to take the lead. "Yes! Give us two of these 'hamburgers' with all the 'trimmin's', please."

The man held his hand out and wiggled his fingers. "Thirty gil."

Gabranth looked like he wanted to say something but held his tongue as Larsa pulled out his peasant-styled wallet to pay. As he opened it up to pull out the necessary gil, the man whistled.

"Got a high roller here!" the man seemed to announce for some reason. It annoyed Larsa, which is why he very rudely shoved the owed money into the man's hands. If it bothered the man he didn't show it as he happily took the fistful of money and walked to the back of the store.

"So then, my dear date partner, what do you think of Old Archades so far?" Larsa asked Gabranth. When Gabranth looked at him, Larsa made sure to flutter his eyelids.

"Just the same as I remember it," Gabranth gruffly replied. He leaned in closer to Larsa. "I'm expecting some trouble when we leave. Stay by my side at all times."

Larsa nodded. He didn't understand why Gabranth thought that as the alley was empty when they came through, but he trusted Gabranth to know what he was doing. While it was still safe, Larsa elbowed Gabranth and said, "Perhaps they sense you're far more than you look and wish to challenge you as the strongest man on the block?"

"I think it has more to do with your full wallet," Gabranth countered slightly sternly. "I thought we'd agreed we would be peasants?"

"This isn't peasant money? I only have one thousand gil on me," Larsa countered. "If a 'hamburger' costs fifteen gil, I would expect a grand to not go very far."

"He's overcharging us. Unless this is gourmet, which, I don't think I'm going out on a limb, is very unlikely, you overpaid by double the amount." Gabranth sighed. "You are very wise, my liege, yet do not grasp some small things about the world."

Larsa laughed. "Yes, that is very true. There _are_ some things I don't quite have in my repertoire." He couldn't resist sliding his hand over and grabbing Gabranth's hand. "That's why I trust you to have my back."

Gabranth looked at Larsa's hand and sighed. "You are far too daring for your own good."

"I'm perfectly acceptably daring," Larsa countered playfully. He took note that Gabranth hadn't pulled his hand away yet. Delightful. Simply delightful.

Without his gloves on, Larsa could feel the rough calluses on Gabranth's hands. They were larger than Larsa's own; no surprise considering how much larger Gabranth was than him. Still, even with how rough they were, Larsa was certain he could be delicate with them when needed, or desired.

Larsa was snapped from his thoughts by the man returning with two plates of what Larsa assumed was food. He set them down and didn't bother to stick around, opting to simply turn around and go back into his restaurant.

Larsa looked down at the plates with some curiosity. It was a plate that had a simple slab of meat placed between two slices of bread. There were condiments of several kinds on top of the meat. The meat didn't look like steaks. Instead, Larsa realized as he poked the meat, it seemed to be packed ground meat.

"Hm." Gabranth picked up his 'hamburger' in curiosity. "Not as repulsive as I was expecting."

"Of course not! This is local cuisine," Larsa said. He picked the food up and took a bite.

He stopped, trying to take in the taste as best he could. It was greasy...and tangy...tasted a bit like...chocobo…? Larsa had never tasted something like this before.

Strange. Very strange.

He set the 'hamburger' down. "Gabranth."

Gabranth had taken a bite as well. Very carefully swallowing, he said, licking his lips inelegantly, "Yes, my liege?"

"...This...is actually not too bad." Larsa peeked under the top slice. "Do you suppose the kitchens could recreate this?"

"Perhaps. I don't see why not." Gabranth watched Larsa take his 'hamburger' apart. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to determine all the components." Larsa sniffed a leaf of lettuce to see what the sauce was. It was something spicy. What, he couldn't determine. Maybe if he took a sample of this with him back home, the kitchens could break it down better than him. "Do you suppose we could get another one to take back?"

"Unlikely. It doesn't seem like he's interested in getting any more orders from us." Gabranth seemed tense. "We should go soon."

"Yes, I agree." Larsa took another bite to try and memorize the flavors. Swallowing fast, he said thickly, "Let's go, my dearest date."

"Of course, my liege." Larsa could detect a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

No matter. However it went from now on, they'd at least had their first date. It went far better than expected. Gabranth had only called him 'liege' once! Next time...next time, they would have to go all-out. A nice dinner at the best restaurant in the capitol would be a good distaff counterpart to this meal. It was something to look forward to.


End file.
